Balloting-booth



(NQ Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet -I.

J. H. VAN 1101111. BALLOTING BOUTH.

No. 501,119. Patented .my 11, 189s.

WIZ'NESSES. INYENIUR- MIDRMEY.

(No Model.)

A 2 sheets-sheen 2. J. H. VAN BORN.

BALLOTING BOOTH. y 110.501,119. Patented July 11, 1893.v

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(5 12:1 will Q2 l' www; 1 1' MMM Ting-@11% @wf/22. Afrmlgm l n n 'I l T 1211111155525 INVEMM 1Q- UNITED STATES vPATENT OFFICE.

JAMES H. VAN DORN, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

BALLoTINc-Bo'oTl-l.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 501,119, dated July 11, 1893.

Application filed DeoemberlB, 1892. Serial No. 455,083. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Beit known thatI, JAMES H. VAN Donn, of Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State ofA Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Balloting-Booths; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to a balloting booth, and my present invention is designed as an improvement on a portable building for the same purpose, for which Letters Patent of the United States, No. 485,306, were granted to me November 1, 1892. In constructing a balloting booth, after making such arrangements of parts as will comply with the requirements of the law in force where the booth is to be used, the matters next of importance are to construct the booth so that it will occupy as little space as is practicable crosswise the street, respectively of the driveway and sidewalk, and that such limited lateral dimensions shall apply to the booth in its distended and in its collapsed conditions, and that the distention and collapsing of the booth can be quickly and easily done, and that the booth when collapsed shall be conveniently portable. With these objects in view, I construct the booth in two preferably rectangular and nearly equal sections, the smaller section thereof constituting substantially a large drawer that is adapted to flt inside the larger section, and to be moved in and out after the manner of ordinary sliding drawers. The booth may be of any desired length, but should be narrow; when collapsed, that is to say, with the drawer pushedin, say from four to five feet in width, more or less according to circumstances, and the booth,rwhen distended, that is, with the drawers pulled out at full throw, will be about twice as wide as when collapsed. In its collapsed condition the booth is portable, so that it can be con'- veniently taken to and from the place where it is stored, and can be easily placed in the position where it may be wanted inthe street for registering and for balloting purposes. When so placed in the street the booth in its collapsed conditionis supposed to occupy a portion only of the sidewalk, the drawer side of the booth resting on and being about flush with the curb-stone, and so long as the booth remains closed, it does not protrude over the driveway, and even on a narrow sidewalk there will usually remain ample room for pedestrians to pass along the side-walk, at the rear of the booth. For registering purposes, the drawer is pulled out part way, so as to give a passage way through the main portion of the booth, at the rear of the drawer, and in such condition, the drawer would eX- tend over the driveway say two and one-half or three feet, more or less. For voting purposes, more room is wanted, and hence the drawer is pulled out its full throw, and would thus extend over the driveway four or five feet, or, a distance about equal to the width of the drawer. During the night, and at all times when the booth is not in actual use, the drawer is closed, and consequently the driveway is left unobstructed.

In the accompanying drawings: Figures 1 and 2 are end elevations of a balloting booth, embodying my invention, and showing respectively the booth in position collapsed and distended, and Figs. 3 and 4 are corresponding plans in section. Figs. 5 and 6 are correspending elevation and plan in section, showing the booth distended and showing more especially the adjustable members of the booth in working position. Fig. 7 is a side elevation in detail of Table J.

In building the booth, first I construct two preferably rectangular platforms A and B, on which to lay the floors A', B', the one iioor 'serving for `the `main portion of the structure,

and the other floor serving for the drawer. These platforms are usually of wood, and such as any carpenter might build; the platform and floor for the drawer, being a trilie smaller than the other platform and door.

Fastened to platform A, around the three sides thereof, are the back Wall, made in two sections C and C', and the end-walls D, D, and on top of these walls is secured the roof E, the walls and roof being usually of corrugated sheet metal, and the fastenings being preferably bolts or rivets. `The drawer is constructed in like manner, the front wall F and the end walls G, G, being fastened to platform B, with the roof H, fastened to the walls, the drawer being as aforesaid, adapted to fit loosely inside the other section of the booth.

In order that the drawer may be easily moved in and out, I provide as follows: The drawer is provided at either end with rollers g, g', the former being adapted to trail on folding skids, each skid comprising a short section I, securedinside the main section, and

a longer section I secured in any suitablel manner.

Vhen the sections l are arranged as shown in Fig. 2,they form ways for rollers g to travel on in opening and closing the drawer, and it will be observed that rollers g are located near the outer lower corners of the drawer, while rollers g are located near the inner upper corners of the drawer; hence wise until the feet thereof rest on the ground l or pavement, after which and by tightening these bolts, the skids are supported so that ithere is no tendency to tilt the booth in moving the drawer.

purposes, the drawer is pulled out far enough to be out of the way of door-ways cl, d. The

parties enter through door CZ, and, after registering, pass out at door d'. Seats are provided for the judges, clerks, dac., as at b, b.

When the days work is done, the drawer is shoved in, and sections I of the skids are1 folded out side of the drawer, see Figs. 1 and j 3, in which folded position they serveas hasps and are secured, usually, by pad-locks, thus securing the drawer. On voting days, the drawer is extended its full throw.

L, L, are a series of partitions hinged to section C of the back wall. These partitions when folded back against the wall admit of closing the drawer, see Figs. 3 and 4. When these partitions are turned at right angles to wall Y C they divide the space into stalls K, where the voters go to inspect and mark their bal- 1 Section C of the rear wall is a sheet of l metal extending the entire length of the booth 1 lots.

as in Fig. 5, the inner edge of the sash rests on sheet C and bears against the outer edges When these bolts are of the partitions. The sash and its glass serve as a shelf on which the voter may mark his ballot, the glass admitting light enough for the purpose.

N, N, are triangular pieces of canvas that are riveted to sheet C', and to and cross-wise the sash, these gores of canvas filling the spaces that would otherwise be open back of the partitions, and such open spaces would enable a person in one stall to look through into the next adjacent stalls. In folding up the sash, these pieces of canvas fold and take care of themselves. When sheet C', is returned to its vertical position, it is fastened on the inside by means of hook or other suitable device, not shown. In my former building patented as aforesaid, a somewhat analogous device was used for the same purpose, in which three pieces were hinged together. After manipulating the former, much hinged device, and .pinching 'my fingers on each occasion, l devised the simpler construction,just described, and find it a great improvement. When the ballots are to be counted, more table room is required, and hence I provide a broad leaf j, shown in dotted lines, hinged to table J. When this leaf is turned up and fastened, it furnishes ample additional table room forthe purpose. The booth hereindescribed is snug and compact, and it is believed `will fully meet Along the inner side of the drawer, is coni structed a table J, the framework of which` is shown in Fig. 7. This table is for the use i of the judges, clerks, te., and for registering n all the cxigencies in the case. There are windows set in the end walls of thef drawer' as at l?. When the drawer is closed these windows are protect-ed and covered by walls D, D, of the main portion of the booth, and when the drawer is opened only part way, these windows are correspondingly uncovered and exposed so that they give light to the interior of the partially distended booth.

What I claim is l. A portable balloting booth, comprising two rectangular sections, the one section constituting a drawer to be moved in and out of the other section, folding skids fastened to the main part of the booth, the drawer having rollers in position to travel on such skid when the latter are extended, such skids being adapted to fold outside the closed drawer, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A balloting booth comprising two sections, the one section constituting a drawer to be opened and closed, folding skids for the drawer to operate on, such skids having adjustable legs arranged substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. A balloting booth comprising two rectangular sections, one section constituting a drawer and adapted to be moved in and out of the other section, rollers near the outer lower-and inner upper corners of said drawer, upper and lower guide-ways attached to the main structure for such rollers to travelon, the lower guide-ways being hinged and adapted to unfold when the drawer is distended, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

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4. A balloting booth comprising a stationary and movable section, the latter being provided with adjustable legs located in such a position as to support and steady the same when in a distended position, and. having a table constructed along the inner side of the said movable section, substantially as described.

5. A balloting booth comprising a stationary section and a drawer, such drawer having a table constructed along the inner side thereof, the frame work of the table being in the form of a truss, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. A portable balloting booth, comprising two rectangular sections, the one section constituting a drawer to be moved in and out of the other section, the latter being provided with means for supporting the same when distended, and the stationary section .having a series of folding partitions hinged to the back wall thereof, substantially as described.

7. A balloting booth comprising two rectangular sections, the one section being a drawer, the rear wall of the other section havinga so-called fly sheet of metal rigidly fastened only along the upper edge thereof, a window sash hinged to the lower side of such ily, in position to fold up inside, in closing the ly,-substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

8. In combination a balloting booth, the upper section of the rear wall of the booth comprising a so-called ily sheet, fastened along the upper edge, a window hinged to the lower edge of such fly in position to fold up-inside in closing the fly and in position to serve as a prop in holding the fly distended, substantially asV and for the purpose set forth.

9. In combination a balloting booth, the rear wall-having a series of folding partitions hinged to a section of the rear wall, a distensible iy-sheet fastened along the upper edge thereof, a folding shelf hinged to the lower edge of such y sheet, canvas or other iieXible material secured to and crosswise the ily and shelf opposite the said folding partitions, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

10. A balloting booth constructed in two rectangular sections the one section being a drawer adapted to operate in and out of the larger section, the latter having door-ways at the ends thereof in position to be closed by means of the closed drawer, and to be opened by means of opening the drawer part way, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

11. A balloting booth constructed in two sections, the one section constitutinga drawcr,windows set in the end walls of the drawer in position to be covered by the end walls of the main portion of the booth in closing the drawer, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification,in the presence of two witnesses, this 8th day of December, 1892.

JAMES H. VAN DORN,

Witnesses:

G. G; NASH, J. D. SLATER. 

